Element A of group VA combines with element B of group VI A. The resulting compound may have the formula?

Options

A. `A_2 B_3 `
B. `A_3 B_2 `
C. `A_5 B_6 `
D. `A_6 B_5 `

Answer

To determine the formula of the compound formed by element A from group VA (15) and element B from group VIA (16), we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Identify the Valency of Each Element
- **Element A (Group VA)**: The general electronic configuration is ns²np³. This means it has 5 valence electrons. It can either lose 3 electrons to form a cation (A³⁺) or gain 3 electrons to form an anion (A³⁻).
- **Element B (Group VIA)**: The general electronic configuration is ns²np⁴. This means it has 6 valence electrons. It can lose 4 electrons to form a cation (B⁴⁺) or gain 2 electrons to form an anion (B²⁻).

### Step 2: Determine the Most Likely Ionic States
- For element A, the more stable ionic form is likely to be A³⁺ (losing 3 electrons).
- For element B, the more stable ionic form is likely to be B²⁻ (gaining 2 electrons).

### Step 3: Balance the Charges
To form a neutral compound, the total positive charge must equal the total negative charge.
- If we take 2 A³⁺ ions, the total positive charge will be \(2 \times 3 = 6\).
- If we take 3 B²⁻ ions, the total negative charge will be \(3 \times 2 = 6\).

### Step 4: Write the Formula
From the charge balance, we can conclude that:
- 2 A³⁺ ions combine with 3 B²⁻ ions to form the compound.
- Therefore, the formula of the compound will be A₂B₃.

### Final Answer
The resulting compound may have the formula **A₂B₃**.

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